Mansa Musa is a third year student of International European Law at the RUG. He was born in Sierra Leone, but he has lived in Paris and is now a resident of Groningen. Musa is also the former president of the African Students Community (ASC) of Groningen, and he loves cooking and sharing his recipes with his international friends. Today, he is cooking African pumpkin soup, an easy and healthy dish or, as Mansa calls it, ‘a yummy African creation’. Be sure to stay tuned to the end for a (not-so) magic trick.

Pumpkin soup
Preparation time: 17 minutes
Considerations: vegetarian and gluten-free

STEP 1
Peel and chop the pumpkin into small sized pieces. Do the same with the onion, the ginger and the two cloves of garlic.

STEP 2
Add five tablespoons of oil to a deep, medium-sized pot and heat it up. Once the oil is warm, add the onion, ginger and garlic. Stir while letting it cook for four minutes until it turns golden-coloured. If you like it very spicy, you can add half of a Madame Jeanette pepper – this heat is only for the brave! Add the pieces of pumpkin and stir, and then cover the mix to cook for five minutes.

STEP 3
Once the pumpkin is soft, add the water (about half or three-fourths of a litre) and salt. Let the soup boil for another five minutes.

Using a handheld mixer, blend the soup until it is smooth. As a last touch, add one tablespoon of crème fraiche to make the mix nice and creamy. Be sure to taste it to check the amount of water and salt – you can always add more if you think it’s necessary. Serve with a crispy baguette. Now it’s your turn to enjoy this international recipe: bon appétit!

Did you like this recipe? Do you like cooking, too? If you are a RUG student, this is your chance to show off your culinary skills! Contact us at ukook@ukrant.nl with the name of the dish you’d like to make and your availability!